Member of Parliament and Minister of Water, Land Environment & Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill, along with Councillor Sydney Rose turn on the  water for Phase 2 of the John Groyne Water Supply

It was to tumultuous shouts and applause from residents, that the Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Robert Pickersgill turned on the water for phase 2 of the John Groyne Water Supply System.

The Minister noted that prior to the project’s implementation, the 3,500 residents of York Street, Bermady, Palms, Mingle Lane, Farm Yard, and Red Pond Lane were served by the St. Catherine Parish Council operated system, which could no longer supply the growing population.

“I wish to commend the Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL) for working to bring this water to you. This means that they are fulfilling their mission by implementing rural water  supply projects and ensuring the highest standards and adherence to time schedules and budget, ”  Minister Pickersgill said.

The project, which was completed at a cost of $13M entailed the installation of pipelines and the construction of two chlorination facilities at Dawkins Bush. Phase 2 of the project comes two years after the first segment which was concluded in 2010 at a cost of $9.6M.

Bishop Omar Oliphant, Director of the RWSL Board, who also addressed the function said, “we take great pride in our mandate of designing and developing engineering solutions for the delivery and rehabilitation of potable water systems in rural areas island-wide.”

Students of the York Street Primary School perform their JCDC award  winning Maypole Dance